With its newly developed security seal Unisto Pharmaflex Detect, Unisto has once again
demonstrated its status as pioneer on the market. If the security seal or parts of it knocks off and
accidentally end up in the food, a metal detector or X-ray machine can identify them and sort them
out. This is possible due to a specially manufactured plastic compound with detectable filler. In this
way, safety processes can be further optimised, in that the risk of contamination is minimised and
product recalls can be prevented.

Background

Imagine this scenario, in your
quality products – in the food value
chain for example – a customer
finds fragments of foreign
materials. Not to mention what
would happen if the end customer
swallowed these foreign objects.
These instances occur more often
than you would perhaps think. You
have surely already heard in the
media that food have had to be
recalled because foreign bodies such as plastic particles were
found in end products. There is a
high risk of suffocation for end
consumers in the case of larger
foreign bodies, since they may get
stuck and block the respiratory
tracts to a great extent. The
consequences carry heavy
financial costs for manufacturers,
and subsequent damage to the
company’s image is, for the most
part, unavoidable.

In general, the numbers of
recorded recalls of food products
contaminated with pieces of plastic
or rubber have more than doubled
in 2016, according to a report by
the trade magazine ‘Quality
Assurance & Food Safety’.

Process optimisation to the
next level

The safety of food must be brought
to the highest possible level in
order to protect the end user.
Detectable cable ties, tags, writing
material, etc. have already been
established in the food industry.
The security seal Unisto
Pharmaflex Detect, which has been
on the market since September
2017, is thus contributing to the
increased safety of food. Sealing
the container with a security seal
prevents unwanted foreign
material from making its way into
products and goods that are still to
be processed. In addition, thanks
to a specially food compliant plastic compound with a
detectable filler, the entire security
seal or parts of it which have been
accidentally knocked
off can be
identified
and
removed
using a
metal
detector
or X-ray
machine. In
this way, the
HACCP guidelines
(Hazard Analysis Critical Control
Points) are reinforced so as to
avoid risks and additional costs.

Unisto Pharmaflex Detect
and its properties

The tamper-evident adjustablelength
security seal Unisto
Pharmaflex Detect is through a
special process loose
manufactured. In this way plastic
fragments are prevented from
falling into containers or bags that
are used to transport liquids,
powder, etc. In addition,
Pharmaflex Detect is detectable
thanks to a special plastic
compound. The entire Pharmaflex
Detect, or also parts of it, can be
identified, thanks to the metal
portion included, which is not the
case with a conventional plastic
security seal. In addition, the dark
blue colour, customarily used in
the industry, facilitates the
process of visual control. Dark
blue is the established industry
standard, since this colour does
not appear naturally in raw
materials for food and is
subsequently easily visible.
The raw materials used to produce
Unisto Pharmaflex Detect fulfil the
following guidelines and
regulations:

This newly launched product from
Unisto brings with it several
advantages:

■ Even small pieces can be
detected by a metal detector
or X-ray machine

■ Depending on the
requirements, Pharmaflex
Detect is available with
different and customer-specific
percentage of metal

■ Fullfils the requirements of the
HACCP-procedure (HACCP:
Hazard Analysis Critical
Control Point)

■ Produced loose and with a food
compliant plastic compound

■ In dark blue colour for simple
visual detection in line with the
industry standard.

Your unique selling proposition
(USP)

Launched on the market in
September 2017, the newly
developed security seal Unisto
Pharmaflex Detect marks an
additional milestone for Unisto.
Whether you produce flavourings,
transport raw materials, or
manufacture food, the use of this
detectable security seal
guarantees you an USP, working as
an additional selling point and
thereby securing your position on
the market.

What is it a security seal?

Security seals make any
attempt at tampering visible and
help detect contamination,
manipulation, trafficking of
contraband, stowage of arms
and explosives or theft of goods
in transit. They provide
indicative access control for
goods in transit and indicate
whether a locking device has
already been opened. Suitable
for many applications as bags,
drums, boxes, roll cages, or
trucks, security seals can be
also individualised and produced
for special solutions and niche
applications.

Many factors influence the
functionality and effectiveness
of a security seal. Some of the
aspects to be considered
include:

■ The type of containers to be
sealed

■ The temperature in the place
where the sealed container is
stored

■ The forces and influences that
the seal must withstand, for
example whether it must be
easy to remove by hand or
using a cutter

■ The logistic processes in place
and which steps have to be
taken

■ Handling and management.

There are many different types
of security seals on the market
and they are all classified
according to various categories.
Due to the different types of
security seal, the variables to be
considered and how these may
affect seal effectiveness, it is
important to require the support
of a security seal expert to
choose the right seal for a
specific application. In
conjunction with the customer
logo, consecutive numbering,
barcode, data matrix codes etc.,
Unisto ensures that each seal is
unique and cannot be
substituted.
About Unisto

Unisto has been applying its
experience in the development
and production of innovative
security seals for 90 years.

The company’s roots go back to
1926, when it was founded as
family business in Horn,
Switzerland. Today, the
companies of the Unisto group
are present in more than 30
countries worldwide with 600
employees.

As global supplier and
manufacturer, Unisto produces
security solutions in line with its
Swiss quality standards at all its
production sites around the
world, which are spread
throughout Europe, Africa, Asia
and South America.